AkzoNobel Hydrogen peroxide H2O2

Product information

This EPD covers Hydrogen peroxide produced in AkzoNobel Pulp and Performance Chemicals European plants:

Bohus (Sweden)

Alby (Sweden)

Rjukan (Norway)

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is produced from hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen. Hydrogen is a by-product from manufacturing of sodium chlorate. It is also produced from propane/natural gas in steam reformers or via water in electrolysers.

The reactions take place in an organic solvent, which is circulated in the process, with palladium as a catalyst. In the first step hydrogen gas is added, and the solvent is hydrogenated. The second step is the oxidation where oxygen from the air is added. Hydrogen peroxide is formed.

In the third step hydrogen peroxide is extracted from the solvent with water and distilled to desired concentration, varying from 19-70wt%. The concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution is stabilised by addition of small quantities of substances, which give some tolerance towards accidental contamination.

Before the organic solvent can be reused in the first step, water is removed in a last drying step.